File:Old and new London - a narrative of its history, its people, and its places (1873) (14597960068).jpg

Identifier: oldnewlondonnarr03thor (find matches)
Title: Old and new London : a narrative of its history, its people, and its places
Year: 1873 (1870s)
Authors: Thornbury, Walter, 1828-1876
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Cassell, Petter, & Galpin
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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ly a temptation to the pedestrian; butwoe to the trespasser if the boys were there. Atthat time, when the 7ioble art of self-defence wasfashionable, the Westminster boy was proud ofdisplaying his prowess on any such occasion.There were no police then, and the population ofthe town could not have been one-half if a thirdof the present. A street-keeper or Bow-Streetofticer generally contrived to keep out of the way, 4^0 OLD AND NEW LONDON. (Westminster School. and so the fight went on uninterruptedly until satis- ! associations of his boyhood with his college ex- faction had been obtained. On some such occasions an obstinate coaly has been known to exercise the active muscularpowers of a Kings Scholar for a hour or more. IfGreek met not Greek, he nevertheless objected periences of the immediate neighbourhood. In passing through the Deans Yard towardthe cloisters you seem shut away from the noiseand bustle of the world, and the Scholars play-ground, so frequently the scene of dispute, is
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ENTRANCE TO WESTMINSTER SCHOOL. neither to coaly, baker, dustman, sweep, nor otherif trespasser, without further fear of the disgracesave that of being worsted in the encounter. A considerable amount of Vandalism mingleditself with what then passed for manly independentspirit. Within a quarter of a mile of the spotthere existed a cock-pit, at which matches werefought at frequent intervals; and many a greencoat and tops, whilst betting on the barbaroussport of the time, would remember the locality in surrounded by an iron railing. Latterly, in thesummer of each year the specimens of the windowgardening in the neighbourhood are exhibited here,and prizes are awarded to the successful competi-tors in this humble but painstaking horticulture. The old watchmans box under the Collegewall has disappeared, and his lanthorn long sincebeen extinguished. The street-keeper has beensupplanted by the helmeted policeman, in whosebelted tunic we trace no resemblance to the square Westminster School.)

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